Nearly half of Canada’s population tuned into Game 7 of the World Series at some point, while in the USA, the decisive battle between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays drew the largest audience for a Fall Classic game since 2017.
Rogers Sportsnet says 18.5 million viewers – or 46% of Canada’s estimated population of 40.1 million – tuned into at least a portion of the game. Viewership peaked at 14 million in the bottom of the ninth inning, when the Blue Jays had a chance to win in walk-off fashion.
Its average audience of 10.9 million was the most-watched English-language broadcast in Canada, outside of the 2010 Winter Olympics held in Vancouver.
The Dodgers went on to win in 11 innings.
Meanwhile, the “fast national” numbers from Nielsen indicate an audience of 25.5 million tuned into Fox Sports’ broadcast in the USA, the most since Game 7 between the Dodgers and Houston Astros in 2017 drew 28 million.
That total viewership number will inch closer toward 30 million in coming days as Nielsen, since 2020, has integrated out-of-home metrics – such as watch parties, bars and restaurants – into its totals.
Since September, Nielsen has utilized what it calls a “big data plus panel” to measure viewership from smart TVs and streaming devices, which has resulted in big increases to college and pro football numbers this autumn.